Wham! Album Spins Off Trio Of Hit Tunes

June 2, 1985|By Jan DeKnock, Chicago Tribune

This week, for the second week in a row, the most popular song in America is ''Everything She Wants'' by the British duo Wham!, which now is savoring a chart feat that even Michael Jackson wasn't able to accomplish at the height of his Thriller mania.

As soon as ''Everything She Wants'' hit the top, Wham!'s Make It Big album became the first LP in the '80s to generate three No. 1 hits on the singles chart. Jackson's Thriller barely missed with two No. 1 singles and one No. 2.

Next week, Wham!'s third big hit should be able to hold on for one last week at No. 1, although Harold Faltermeyer's instrumental ''Axel F'' (yet another winner from the soundtrack of Beverly Hills Cop) could sneak into the top. After that, look for a battle royal between Billy Ocean's ''Suddenly,'' which jumped to No. 5 from No. 8, and Bryan Adams' ''Heaven,'' up to No. 7 from No. 12.

There's a new No. 1 on the album chart, but it's not really a surprise. Prince's Around the World in a Day took over the top spot (from Phil Collins' No Jacket Required) after just four weeks on the chart, which is exactly how long it took His Royal Badness to reach No. 1 last summer with the Purple Rain soundtrack.

This week's pick hit is ''Sentimental Street'' by Night Ranger, the latest band to hop on the rock-ballad bandwagon that Chicago started in motion last year with ''Hard Habit to Break.'' And if the current success of REO Speedwagon's insipid ''One Lonely Night'' (now No. 19) is any indication, the appetite for rock-influenced love songs has not diminished in recent months. That means that the appealing ''Sentimental Street'' should have no trouble cracking the Top 10.

Dud of the week: ''Everything I Need'' by Men at Work. There's nothing terribly wrong with this song, which has exactly the same goofy, laid-back approach of ''Who Can It Be Now?'' and all the Men's other hits of a few years back. But ''Everything I Need'' doesn't make much of an impact for a group that has been away from the charts and in the recording studio for so long -- without, apparently, finding much new to say.